Politically, I identify as a Democrat although I’ve voted for my share of Republicans (and once for the Green Party) too. Now more than ever I believe a philosophical shift to the Left will help balance or un-do some of the damage done by the Right over the past eight years. I truly believe the change Barack Obama has been advocating is more than just a referendum on the failed policies of the Bush administration. I think this man has the power to heal the country and make us all better citizens of this world. Not necessarily by policy, but by changing the conversation out there. Raising the question and inviting each of us to make better choices. I admire the way this man, an African-American man, has not chosen to leverage his heritage to make us think differently about electing a person of color to the office of President. He just put his best self out there as the best candidate and made his case to the people.

I grew up in a neighborhood where voting for an African-American candidate was not a very popular idea. When Harold Washington was elected mayor of Chicago in 1983, I remember hearing the most vicious, overtly racist comments about how the city would ‘go to hell’ if he were elected. Race was an issue – a big issueback then. Now we as a society are in a place where race is mostly an after-thought. Same in part can be said of gender with the candidacy of Sarah Palin. I am aware there is still a great deal of racial prejudice and gender in-equality. I am constantly challenging myself in this regard every day – even more-so lately. It seems my self image and the reality of how open and ‘color-blind’ I am are not always in perfect alignment. This is a work in progress for me.

I believe Barack Obama serving as President of the United States can help to make us better citizens of this world. I do not agree with all of his initiatives specifically, but philosphically, I think his would be the perfect successor (antidote?) to the Bush administration. Financially and economically by every conceivable metric, this nation is worse off now than the day George W. Bush was elected President. I do not believe the booming economy inherited and severely damaged by Bush administration policies would have stayed on the same upward trajectory had Al Gore been elected in 2000, but I think the inevitable market corrections would not have been as dramatic and devastating to this economy. We as a nation would have likely been less reliant on fossil fuels, and more conscious of how we consume energy in general, specifically gasoline. For example, when the price hit $4.30 per gallon a few months ago people suddenly began consolidating trips, walking, riding a bike or bus, car pooling or just staying home. The price dropped as demand dropped. proving we can do it, we have the power to affect change! We have proved capable of making some different choices when faced with the consequences. I think a Gore administration would have fostered this more thoughtful way of living over the past eight years.

With the political leadership of a Barack Obama administration, I believe we have the opportunity to re-examine how things are done in government and in ourselves. This historic opportunity is now before us once again. My vote goes to Barack Obama – not only for change in government, but for real change in our society.